Sculpture in the City has returned to London, bringing a vibrant splash of contemporary art to the UK capital’s streets and public spaces. This annual event, described by organizers as a “rotating gallery space,” features 17 sculptures by 15 artists, with some already installed and others set to arrive in September.
The 13th edition of Sculpture in the City offers a diverse range of artistic expressions, from giant statement sculptures to neon writing, transforming the Square Mile into an open-air gallery. Among this year’s new additions is the interactive Kissing Gate by Maya Rose Edwards, located in Aldgate Square. This playful work reimagines a rural kissing gate within the urban landscape, encouraging romantic encounters between passers-by.
At Mitre Square, CAUCUS by Samuel Ross invites visitors to engage with the sculpture, prompting familiar gestures such as sitting, standing, and leaning. Temple, a work by Richard Mackness, located on the corner of 99 Bishopsgate and Wormwood Street, transforms a gilded paper bag into an architectural masterpiece. This piece evokes both the mundane nature of everyday commerce and the sacredness of a shrine.
A digital artwork by Seph Li, Everything Before, Everything After, graces 120 Fenchurch Street. The piece features a meandering river rendered in Chinese ink painting style, which speaks to the roof garden above the screen. It offers a meditative moment for viewers as the river flows towards eternity.
Oliver Bragg’s In Loving Memory features engraved brass plaques placed on existing benches around the City of London. These plaques commemorate fictional or abstract ideas with a mix of optimism, humor, and reflection.
Several works from last year’s edition remain on display. The Nest Series by Victor Lim Seaward, mimicking fantastical fruits and functioning as bird nests, blends seamlessly into trees outside 99 Bishopsgate, providing a safe and insulated space for nesting.
The Granary by Jesse Pollock, taking residence in Cunard Place, is also a returning piece. This work, crafted in pearlescent candy orange, renders a traditional English grain store and evokes a nostalgic ideal of the past.
Visitors can download the Sculpture in the City app to follow the artwork trail and learn more about each piece from the artists themselves. The sculptures will be on display until summer 2025, with some, like Bragg’s plaques, becoming permanent fixtures in the City of London landscape.
